Luderitz Bay sparkles for partners

Partners Diamond Fields International (DFI-T) and Trans Hex Group of South Africa have recovered more than 9,600 diamonds from their Luderitz Bay grant off the coast of Namibia.

The stones, which weigh more than 3,100 carats, were recovered during ongoing trenching at the Marshall Fork geological feature. That and another nearby feature are expected to yield 675,000 carats over seven years, though initial results suggest this may be too conservative an estimate.

“Recovering over 3,100 carats in the early stages of the commissioning program provides us with a high level of confidence for a successful mining program at Marshall Fork,” states Diamond Field’s director of operations, Roger Daniel.

Trans Hex is re-fitting a second vessel with conventional airlift mining technology and a 50-tonne-per-hour dense-media-separation plant. The addition is required under the agreement with Diamond Fields.

Trans Hex, which has been mining alluvial diamonds for more than 20 years, is managing the project. Diamond Fields will market any diamonds produced, though Trans Hex maintains a consulting role.

Resources at mining licence 111 are pegged at 6.1 million cubic metres containing 1.1 million carats (including 81% defined as probable reserves). A cutoff grade of 0.15 carat per sq. metre is assumed.

Production in the first year is expected to exceed 65,000 carats.